Supporting device for pottery



Sept. 9, 1930. w. s. MAYER 1,775,535

V SUPPORTING DEVICEFOR POTTERY Filed June 1s, 1928 z shmsfsnm 1 Sept. 9,1930. I w. s, MAYER 1,775,535

' SUPPORTING DEVICE FOR POTTERY Filed June 15. 1928 2 Shoots-Sheet 2Patented Sept. 9, 1930 UNi'rs sr r ses sanar;- rifs-ic waarna-"s Mailen,or NEW BRiGieifroN,rnNNsYLvANra," ./.issisnorv To iunYnit CHINAcoiureivv,or1V New BRIGHTON, PENNSYLVANIA, a conroiiirrioii or PENNSYL-Application filed J une 15,

ware a series of isolated stabilizing support ing points or edges, withinterfitting engagement `between adjacent supports, ensuring maintenanceof position during use; lp The present invention referspaiticularly toimproved Jforms of supporting ifpoints or thelike, and to the adaptationthereto and .therewithiof certain modified `forms'of construction in themain transverse supporting members. The improvements herein disclosedarie relatedito the construction shown in. the `prior application ofBenjamin D. `IIardesty,'Serial No. 278,372.` The construction ofthedevice and its manner of use and Vadvantages aremore fullyhereinafter described. y

Referring to the draw-ings l i Fig. l is a plan view showing therelative arrangement of the supports and ware;V a Figi 2 isa verticalsectional viewon .the `line lI-H of Fig. 1;- f Y, A

Fig. 3 is a front view showing the interitting connection between thesupporting terminals of the main'supports; I

Fig. .Llis a perspective view of one of the point supports detached, asused in Figs. 1 ...anda l Fig. 5 is a plan View, part-ly broken away,showing aipoitionof the main support provided with ainodiedfconstruction of seating soc-liet and removable point therein; fFig. 6 is across sectional view on the line VI-Vl of Fig; 5; Y

Fig 7 is a view similar to Fig. 5 showing a further modifiedconstruction of supporting point;

Fig.' Slis a cross section' on the line viii-viii ofirig. 7; c

i `a further modilied construction;

`circulation spa-ce. Also, `to provide for the Fig iQVis--a view similarto Fig. 7 showing SUPPORTING Davies Non ro'rrnmr iaes. serial No.255,636."

. Fig. l() is a cross sect-ion on the line X-X of Fig. 9. i

In utilizing support-ing devices of the kind involved, it isrdesiiableto interpose between i tions and of as limited area as possible.

Also, to generally conform to the contour oi' the ware and withampletransverse interven ing space for circulationof the 'heating gasesofthekiln. p `f H p. While the particular shape of'tliesupporttingdevice transversely may be varied to .adapt it approximatelyto theoutline of the ware in' cross section,it will be understood that theinvention is not strictly limited to any particular extent of variationfrom a `plane transverse tarea, or as to its size, clinica sions, orshape. l `One common iornrof ware is shown` in the` drawings, .as aplate Vor dish 2, the middle portion of which is usually'depressedfbelowkthe surrounding` rim or edge,` and is ordinarily provided with theusual lower supporting rim, foot or bead 3 underneath.: 1.

.Each of the series of supporting devices `which carry a vertical seriesof ware pieces in the kiln, is madein skeleton form, of a generalcomparatively 'flat tripod construction having three; equilaterally`arranged arms 4.

Tliesearins diverge from amiddle `fiat por-` tion 5, preferably providedwith a middle circularV or othersliaped clearance opening 6,` eacharmsloping upwardly as ati?, and then extending downwardly in the formof a vertical terminal 'footpiece 8 Y Each such `toot piece `is adaptedto rest upon the upper i edge portion of the next lower support, and-toprovide, by its upper edge, a supporting bearingfortlie nextuppersupport.

i For the lpurpose of providing an interlock between the several`pedesta-ls `8, each is provided at its upperV corner edge portion `witha socket 9, adapted to receive and interfit with a lower projectingcorrespondinglynarrower` Y projection 10. p

Projection l() fits into socket 9 with slight clearance, each socketbeing `shouldered inwardly and at each side laterally so that when onesupport is placed upon another it will be held against lateraldisplacement, especially under the weight of the ware members 2 and thesuperimposed supports.

For the purpose of providing a point bearing at equally arrangedpositions annularly, and preferably just inside the foot extension 3, Iprovide the plural points 1l in the various arrangements shown. In theconstruction illustrated in Figs. l to 4 inclusive, these points extendupwardly at the terminals of radially extending arms l2 which meet andare integrally connected at the center, forming one continuous piece orspider. The bottom faces of the several arms, and of all three are on acommon general plane, and of a width between their parallel sidesadapting the complete three armed piece to be set downwardly within thedepressed or socket portions 13 of each arm.

The depressed seats 13 extend radially as shown somewhat beyond theouter limits of the supporting piece, and are slightly wider, so thatthe piece may be easily set therein with slight clearance for adjustmentin placing. As thus located, the points ll engage against the under flatsurface of the ware, as in Fig. 2, supporting it evenly at all positionswhen placed, without danger of tilting.

In the construction of Fig. 5, the arms 4 are provided at threeequidistant locations with circular depressed seats 13a, in which aremounted the circular flat bottom conical point members lla, with slightclearance as shown. By such arrangement the several supporting pointmembers are located approximately in the desired position for similarsupporting engagement with the ware, and at the proper heightto effectspace econ` omizing and operative engagement therewith.

In the construction of Fig. 7 the arm Il is similarly provided with aradially arranged V-shaped depression or socket 13b, in which is set thediamond-shaped support 1lb, having a knife edge terminal, and of thesame construction below and above its middle. By such construction andarrangement the support 1lb may be inserted within its snugly receivingseat, with slight longitudinal clearance as desired, and will present abearing edge in the same general manner as that shown in the priorapplication referred to, with a double edge reversible feature.

In the construction of Fig. 9, the a 1in 4 is provided with a triangulardepressed seat 13C, in'which is mounted the triangular point member 11C,the sides and edges of which converge at the top, providing a singlesupporting point, in the same general manner as shown in Fig. 5.

The ware supporting points as .thus made are composed of suitablerefractory material as commonly utilized in the pottery art, and aresimple in construction, cheap to manufacture, and durable. Because oftheir threepoint bearings, both as to the support of the ware andsupporting connection with each other, as in Fig. 4, or when usedseparately, all of the supporting pieces are very easily assembled andtaken apart, and provide continuous supporting equilibrium both as tothemselves and their burden.

Due' to their comparatively limited body section and weight, they have acorresponding limited heat absorptive value sothat their removal fromthe kiln involves a minimum amount of heat subtraction therefrom. Theirform contributes materially to the successful and economical operationof the kiln, both in manipulation, placement, and removal, while theinterlocking construction of the main cross members ensures stabilityand avoidance of accidental breakage.

The particular advantage in either of the herein disclosed improvedsupporting elements, adapted to be usedin connection with the maintransverse members l, as disclosed,

is in the provision of individual-point supports for the ware, whichreduce the liability of any abrasion or distortion to a minimum. Ineither of the forms shown, the definite placement of the interposedseparating and supporting means is facilitated, While the pointsupportinfr devices themselves are comparatively simple and economicalin manufacture and use.

It will be understood that the improvement, in either of the formsshown, may -be made in various sizes, proportions, shapes, etc., toadapt it to any particular `design or shape of ware, and that variouschanges or modications may be made in its detail construction by theskilled mechanic, without departing from the scope of the followingclaims.

lVhat I claim is:

l. A supporting device for pottery ware consisting of a transversemember having radially disposed arms provided with radially disposedholding sockcts,rand a one-piece removable support thereon havingware-engaging projections.

2. A supporting device for pottery ware consisting of a transversemember having radially disposed arms provided with radially disposedholding sockets, and an individual removable support thereon havingware-engaging projections.

3. A supporting device for pottery ware consisting of a transversemember having radially disposed arms provided with communicatingradially disposed holding sockets, and .a removable plural arm supportinsertible in said sockets and having upwardly-extending pointsupporting terminals.

1i. A supporting device for pottery ware consisting of a transversemember having radially disposed arms provided -with'radially disposedholding sockets, and al1-individual `radially extending arms eachprovided supporting device therein having upwardly tapering terminallpoints.

5. In Combination with a main transverse supporting bridge member havinga series of depressed radial sockets on its upper race,V

a vvareesupporting member having a plurality of flat botto-m supportingarms provided with projections and seated inthe sockets.

6. In combination with a main transverse supporting bridge member havinga series of depressed radial sockets on its upper face, a

a radially disposed depressed seat7 a triple armed support Vhaving abottom face interfitting in said seats and provided with upwardlyextending ware supporting'points.

9. A waresupporting spider consisting of a one-piece member having aplurality of straight radially disposed parallel sided arms joined atthe eenterhaving terminal upwardly projecting ware-supporting pointsconforming to a common level anda lower continuous flat bottom. Y i

In testimony whereof I-hereunto alix my signature. Y

WALTER S. MAYER.

with

